Music in the Heart
by Matzacod
Summary: After a tragic accident, a young man presumed dead begins a new life with new comrades, a new home, and a new name.  Heartwarming, tragic, funny, and other stuff, this explains one possibility of the Xigbar Demyx pairing.
1. A lonesome memory

**Music in the Heart**

by Pitafish

After a tragic accident, a young man presumed dead begins an unusual journey in which he gains new comrades, a new home, and a new name.

Hiapplz! It's Pitafish. This story has some funny origins. The idea was sparked after watching a YouTube video by HotPinkMidNite (I'm not saying which one), and I thought that concept was interesting. It also explains the Xigbar/ Demyx pairing perfectly. At least, what I think it is. I posted this up in eight entries in my journal on Gaia, and it was an accidental success compared to my other stories. One person told me it was "heart warming, funny, tragic, and other stuff". Yes, she said "other stuff."

And so, I'm submitting this story in eight chapters, just like it was in my journal. I hope you enjoy this story fully. If you have questions or comments, I would like to hear them. I love to get questions about my stories.

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own the concept of _Kingdom Hearts II_ or any of its original characters. These are the characters I own: Lillian, Kirin, and Kari. I kind-of-sort-of-not-really own Myde and Rudol. You'll understand why later on in the story.

She stood by the small mound of dirt that she finished making and placed a small shiny stone on top. It had a heart painted on it; probably the best work a four year old could do. She then kneeled down and folded her hands.

"I miss you, Grampa…" She whispered. The breeze caressed her soft, short dark hair that had a blue ribbon tied in it and her white dress. Her grandfather wasn't actually dead, but he was gone for a long time, so everyone just assumed what happened.

"Kirin, you ready to go?" A woman with russet-colored wavy hair stood behind her.

"Mm…okay."

So Kirin was picked up and carried home by her mother.

"How was the visit to Grampa?" asked Myde, Kirin's brother. He was sitting on a bench watching the fountain gurgle and spill water down its spout. Water always interested him; it gave him a calming sensation all over his body.

"…Good," concluded the small girl.

Her brother smiled and ruffled her hair. "Don't worry. We'll see him someday." He noticed the small frown on her face. She had never met their grandfather, so she didn't know how to feel about him. Was he nice? Was he terrible? How was she supposed to know? Her father never talked about it.

Myde thought of an idea. He knelled down to his sister's level and said, "Tell you what, it's kind of warm outside. Why don't you and Mom get your swimsuit and come back here?"

"No thanks," said Kirin. She rubbed her eye and started to sniffle. "I-I don't feel like swimming."

Myde's face fell. He didn't like seeing his sister cry, so he did his best to comfort her.

"Want to go home to Rudol?"

She nodded.

"C'mon. I'll take you home while Mom does some more shopping."

"Are you sure?" asked their mother. "I ought to go home with you."

"I'm sure."

That night, Kirin lay in Myde's bed. She didn't like sleeping alone. When her brother came in, he laughed.

"You want to sleep with me again?"

She nodded and said, "Tell me about your dad again."

"My dad? I thought I told you about him yesterday."

"It sounds nice the way you say it."

"Alright." He sat down next to her. "My dad was a pretty responsible person; he got things done on time. He loved Mom and me very much, and we'd spend a lot of time near the ocean. It's because of him that I like water so much. But, he left one day and never came back."

"Why did he leave?"

"Well, he was working with our grandfather on a special project that was supposed to help people. At first, Grampa really wanted to finish it, but later he thought it was a very bad thing. He asked his helpers to stop working on the project, but they didn't want to stop. They worked behind his back, and then…"

"What happened?"

Myde only shook his head. "Nothing. I don't know what happened next. Grampa disappeared soon after that."

Kirin had nothing to say. She was thinking about what sort of project would be bad. The worst she had ever done was draw on the walls of her room. Her mother thought the picture was lovely, but her father was the one who gave her the lecture of keeping her room neat. She then gathered up the courage to ask Myde, "Are you mad that he's gone?"

"Well, I can't say that I wish he didn't leave. If he didn't, Mom would have never met Rudol, and you wouldn't be here."

"I'm glad Mum met Dad because I get to be with you."

Myde smiled and hugged his sister, who held on tightly.

"Let's get you back to your bed."

"I don't like being alone."

Kirin's brother looked around his room until he saw something that would help; a stuffed turtle with glass eyes and a small smile sewn across his face.

"Have you met my friend Tuttles?"

"Mm…no."

He picked up the turtle and placed it into her lap.

"He helped me when I had trouble sleeping. You hug him tight while you're sleeping, and he chases away all the bad dreams from getting into your head. He even chases away the monsters from under your bed and in your closet."

Kirin patted Tuttles on his head and felt his soft front legs.

"I can sleep with him tonight?"

"And every night until you can sleep by yourself. Just be sure to take good care of him."

"I promise."

(Let me put in this little footnote, though it's not really necessary. Myde is eight years Kirin's senior, so that makes him roughly twelve years old. For a preteen, he's pretty patient around his little sister, don't you think? That doesn't mean they never have arguments, because they do. It's just not as often as most siblings.

Questions? Comments? Feel free to type them via the review box. Thank you.)


	2. Tragedy in a blink

"Hey Kirin. Is it true your brother's coming home?"

The raven-haired girl looked at her fellow classmate curiously.

"I don't know. Is he?"

"I heard the other girls talking; they said he was taking the next train home. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Kirin knew something good was going to happen today. She just knew it. Myde had been gone for what seemed to be so long; she almost forgot what he looked like.

"Did…did anyone say when he'd be here?"

Her friend just shook her head.

"The next train comes tonight. If your mom says so, you can probably wait for it."

So she asked her mother when she came home.

"Absolutely not," was her response. "You're ten years old, and you're still a young girl. You can't go there by yourself at night."

"I wasn't going there by myself. I was wondering if you could come with me. Dad was on the trip with Myde, right? We could both welcome them when they get here."

"The train's arrival is past your bedtime. Besides, they will probably be very tired after such a long ride. You can wait until tomorrow to welcome them." Kirin's mother looked out of her window and sighed. "I just hope they make it home safe."

_She seems so sad_ thought Kirin. That's when the topic crept into her mind. It took all of her courage to even bring it up.

"Mum, Myde used to tell me stories about his father, and…and why he's not here anymore. Why don't you talk about him?" Her mother continued to be silent, so Kirin continued. "I think I could learn a lot from you. You knew him longer than Myde. Why won't you tell me about him?"

"It's because he isn't your father. Rudol is."

"But I already know about my dad. I want to learn more about Myde's dad."

"Some other time. Not now, sweetie."

Kirin looked down and said, "I've got homework to do."

"On a Friday?" said her mother in a puzzled voice, but Kirin rushed up the stairs to her room and locked the door.

Once the door was locked, she slumped down and started to sniffle. It was like her mother wouldn't talk about it at all. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and looked at Tuttles, who was placed on top of a small stack of videotapes. They all had goofy sounding titles that had nothing to do with the contents. She picked one called "In Love with a Beach Ball" and put it in the VCR. The screen showed only two seconds of static before a familiar face appeared on the screen. Myde came close to the camera lens and breathed on it before wiping it clean with his sleeve.

"That's better. (waves) Hey Kirin. Well, we're still here, and we both miss you, right Rudol?"

Her father had his back turned and has talking on a phone. It sounded like he was saying, "I miss you too, love." He was probably talking to their mother. Myde only smiled and pretended to blow kisses at the camera, which made her smile.

"I promise that I'm coming back soon. You'll see. I can't tell you exactly why we're here because…" he leaned close to the camera and said in this insanely serious voice, "If I tell you, I'm gonna have to kill you. Mwahaha!" He then returned to his seat and said, "Y'know that song I was learning to play before I left? Well, I think I got most of it down."

He started to tune up his guitar and said in an announcer's voice, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the talented and handsome Myde is proud to present the song 'Jessica' by the Allman Brothers Band on guitar. This is dedicated to his little sister, Kirin. We hope you enjoy it."

The soft melody felt like it was escaping the screen and entering her room. She hugged Tuttles and smiled. This song was perfect for her. It was happy sounding and it always made her smile. Her feet started to move beneath her criss-crossed legs. She couldn't' help it; she loved to dance. Her mother was always a very musical person, and her father had a way with words. When the song was done, Myde did his usual farewell ritual, which was singing a verse from that Sound of Music goodbye song. This made her smile, too. Her brother always found a way to cheer someone up. His eighteenth birthday was coming up, so she decided to make a film of her own.

With a change of clothes and the camera adjusted and turned on, she sat on her bed.

"Happy Birthday Myde…" She drew a blank. How come he was so good in front of a camera and she wasn't? She threw Tuttles at the lens and said, "Tuttles Attack! Rawr!" She then decided to talk about how she was sleeping better at night, how she and Mum missed him and Dad, and what she was learning in school. She then said, "I don't know when you're getting this tape, but you should know that I miss you. And, my birthday's coming up, too. When you get home, we'll exchange gifts." She waved goodbye and blew a kiss to the camera. She knew he'd like that.

"Kirin, could you come down here please?"

"She's using that tone again," she said to Tuttles. "That can only mean one thing: she means business."

When Kirin came downstairs, her mother was sitting in a chair with a tote bag in her lap.

"Have a seat, love."

Her daughter took a seat across from her, hugging the toy turtle she gave her son so many years ago.

"Kirin, I've given it some thought, and I think we should go by the station to welcome your father and brother home. I brought a blanket and some water in case we needed them. Do you want to come with me?"

Kirin didn't have to think to answer that. Of course she would go. She hugged her mother tightly.

- - -

"Attention passengers, there will be a short delay in our arrival due to an unexpected road block. We will be taking a detour," rang the intercom. Myde sighed in frustration.

"How much longer do we have to wait? It can't be that big of a block, right? Can't they just clear it off and keep going?"

Rudol put down his book and answered, "Perhaps." He then whipped out a deck of cards from his pocket and started to shuffle them. "How about a game of Rummy while we wait? You've gotten better since the last time we played, and I want to see if you can beat me this time."

"I won't accept defeat that easily, old man," said Myde with a grin. "My dad was pretty good at cards himself." He was handed the deck and said, "He taught me a game that guarantees me a 100 percent chance of winning." He then threw the cards into the air. Rudol tried to catch them while they were still in the air, but most of them fell to the ground.

"What sort of trick was that?" spat Rudol.

"52 Card Pick Up," said Myde with a grin. "My dad did the same thing with me the first time we played. I'll help if you want."

"With pleasure," he replied, his voice hinting his frustration.

While picking up the cards, Myde said, "Have you noticed we haven't been moving for the past five minutes? You'd think we'd be moving after finding a detour, right?"

"Perhaps another obstacle came up," suggested Rudol.

"Whatever it is, I just want to get home as soon as possible. Kirin and Mom are waiting for us."

- - -

"Hey Zexion, can I talk to you for a second?"

The young man with dark hair only mumbled to the hooded person.

"Was that a yes?" asked the hooded person.

"Yes," replied Zexion in an aggravated tone. "What is it?"

"What I'm about to tell you is top-secret. No one else, not even the Superior, is supposed to know about this. It's sort of a confession on my part."

"Just spit it out and get it over with."

"When we were whole, I think I was a-"

Before he could continue, another hooded person showed up. It was one of the new recruits, the one the Superior gave special attention to, which ticked the other hooded person off.

"Look, we have two more recruits. I've already spoken with the eldest of the two. You get the other one."

The man groaned. "Is this guy gonna be annoying like Axel?"

"He seems to be more confused than annoying."

He sighed and said, "Fine. I'll deal with this weenie. Will you leave me alone then?"

- - -

"Are you Lillian?"

Kirin's mother stood up and said, "Yes I am. Is there a problem, sir?"

"Ma'am, I regret to inform you that there's been an accident with the train. Apparently there was an unexpected raid, and none of the passengers made it out. I'm sorry about your loss."

Kirin stared at the officer with eyes of disbelief. Her brother couldn't have died; he wouldn't have. She looked at her mother, who only thanked the officer for informing her and sat down. She was silent for a long time until she started to sob.

"Mum, when he said they were gone, he really meant they were…gone?"

"Yes, baby." She embraced her daughter, who began to cry, too. Myde was her best friend, and he was gone…

(Poor Kirin. What do you suppose really happened to Myde and Rudol? What was Xigbar about to say? How does this all connect? You'll find out soon enough.

Questions? Comments? Feel free to type them via the review box. Thank you.)


	3. A weenie's name

Myde was shivering in fear. He didn't know where he was, or where Rudol was. He was alone in this dark place. He knew he was supposed to meet with someone, but it slipped his mind as to whom exactly. This disturbed him, and yet it didn't. He remembered Rudol, and he remembered being on a train, but he couldn't remember how he got here or who exactly was waiting for them. He fingered the deck of cards in his pocket.

_I forgot to give these to Rudol_ thought Myde. He figured he wouldn't miss them that much, right?

"Man, it's dark in here." A light was switched on, and Myde covered his eyes. It was way too bright for his own good. When his eyes adjusted, he saw a hooded man in black. This man…he seemed familiar somehow, yet not. The man took off his hood to reveal a scarred face. He donned a patch on his right eye and had his black/ grey hair in a ponytail.

"Let me give it to you short and sweet, kid, and I don't want to hear any whining from you after I'm done. My name is Xigbar, and-"

"Have we met? Were you on the train with me and Rudol?"

"What? No. Just listen to me. Somehow, you got your heart taken. The good news is you still look human, so you're stuck with us. The bad news is you can't feel emotion and all that mushy stuff."

While Xigbar said this, he couldn't help but think he knew this kid from somewhere.

"So," he continued. "Do you remember anything from before you got your heart taken?"

Myde took out the deck of cards from his pocket and threw them in the air.

"Only that, Sir." For some reason, this made the man laugh and say, "52 Card Pick Up, eh? I remember that game. Someone I knew got a kick outta that every time I did it." He then realized what he was saying and cleared his throat. "Anyway, now that you don't have a heart, we give you a new name. What was your old name?"

"…Myde, sir."

This made Xigbar pause.

_It's okay. There's probably a bunch of other people named that. No big deal._

He shook the thought from his mind and continued. "Well, that name's no good. That's a weenie's name. Let me think for a moment, and I'll give you another one."

Myde kept looking at this man's face. It was so familiar, but he didn't know how. It was like a memory that was left untapped, and it was bugging him as to why.

"Well, I got it. We're gonna call you Demyx from now on."

"Demyx?" questioned Myde. That was his name mixed up with an "x". Was that how it worked?

"Yup. Get used to it, 'cos that other name flew out the window. It's gone. I'm never calling you M…"

_Lillie…God, I miss her._

"…Myde again."

Demyx nodded. "So, I call you Xigbar, or Old Man?"

"It's Xigbar to you," snapped the man. "I'm not old, and I'm not anyone's old man. Now, wasn't there someone else with you?"

"Yeah. Rudol."

"You seemed close. Was he your dad?"

"No. He's my stepfather. Y'see, my mom re-married after my dad died, and…I know there's something I'm forgetting…" Demyx seemed worried. This could be very important to him, and forgetting would only make him more miserable. "Is stuff like this gonna happen all the time? Forgetting?"  
"Nah, it's only temporary. Depend on how long you go without a heart. The longer it is, the more you remember. Sadly, when you go as long as I have, you start to think you can live without one. You begin to adapt to being nothing."

Demyx looked at Xigbar with frightened eyes. "I'm nothing?"

"Technically you still exist, but not a lot of people are gonna notice you. It's how life works for us. Sucks, doesn't it?" He then noticed that the kid was hugging his legs and shaking. Was he crying? "C'mon now. You gotta be strong now. Real men don't get choked up on these kinds of things."

Demyx looked at him with angered eyes and said, "Yeah? Well, my dad said it takes a real man to cry. Not like you care anyway."

_Crap. Look at what you did now, Xigbar. You went ahead and made the kid start crying._

"I'm sorry, kid. I didn't mean it like that. How old are you anyway? Sixteen?"

"I'm turning eighteen in a week. My sister's ten."

Xigbar raised an eyebrow. "Your sister?"

"Well, she's my half-sister, but does that really matter? She's someone I can talk to."

_It matters to me._

- - -

Kirin stared at Tuttles, who lay beside her in her bed. It seemed like she'd never get over being alone. Not just while in her bedroom, but forever.

"Mum really loved them: Dad, Myde, and Myde's father. Why does everything end in sadness?"

She then looked at the tape she recently made; it was still unlabeled. She picked up a marker and began to doodle music notes on the label. They seemed to mingle with each other, like how notes usually did in a song. She wanted a title that said everything about Myde. What would her father say?

"I've got it." When she was finished, she taped a note on it and said to Tuttles with a smile, "Myde's still alive, I just know it. And when I see him again, I'll give him this tape. You'll see."

When the next school day was over, a group of older girls surrounded her to give her their sympathies about her brother. Apparently, one of them heard about what happened, and the news spread like wildfire. Many girls at her school admired her brother, so they constantly asked her questions.

"How are you feeling?" asked one of the girls. Kirin only walked away silently. She rarely passed the station on her way home, but today she had a feeling. She ran towards its iron gates and passed by unnoticed; it was one of the advantages to being small. What she didn't notice was someone was watching her with empty eyes. They belonged to a figure in black.

"Xigbar, should I really be doing this?" asked Demyx.

"Think of it as a right of passage, kid. Just go up to that girl and scare the crap outta her, okay?"

"No. I don't think that's right. Besides, she seems really familiar. Is she a Nobody like us?"

"I don't believe this," mumbled Xigbar to himself before continuing. "Just go down there and frighten her. If you don't, I will."

"What do you have against her? She's just a child."

"What do you have against me? She's just another nose-wiping, bed-wetting kid. People like you would make terrible fighters."

"And people like you would make terrible parents," retorted Demyx.

Xigbar narrowed his eyes and said, "Don't make assumptions, kid. You wouldn't know that for sure."

"Excuse me," said an unknown voice that made the two hooded men jump. They turned to see Kirin looking at them with curiosity.

"I'll handle this," whispered Demyx to Xigbar before bending down to Kirin's level. "Hey there. What are you doing here by yourself?"

Upon hearing his voice, Kirin couldn't help but start to cry. It sounded so much like Myde's. Demyx couldn't help but feel terrible. He didn't like when people cried because it made him sad, too.

"Don't cry. What's wrong?"

Kirin just shook her head. She was never supposed to talk to strangers, no matter how friendly they seemed, so she tried her best to tell him this. Xigbar rolled his eyes and said, "Get out of here, kid. We're on special business, and we don't need someone like you to mess this up."

Kirin felt inferior to this person, and this made her cringe more. She held on to the corner of the other person's coat. "Y-you're a bad man," she stammered.

"Cute. She's got an accent like that other recruit."

"You're a bad man," repeated Kirin.

"Is that all you're gonna say? God, you're annoying."

Xigbar noticed the tape protruding from Kirin's bag flap.

"What do we have here?" Before she could react, he snatched the tape from her bag. She tried to grab it from him, but he had it out of her reach.

" 'The Melodious Nocturne'? What sort of name is that for a movie?"

"G-give it back!" screamed Kirin. "It's really important that I give that to someone!"

"Well now, just who is this friend of yours? Someone who isn't for us can only be against us, wouldn't you think?"

"You bloody hooligan, I curse your name!"

Xigbar kicked her down to the ground and placed his foot on her back.

"Watch your language, Pixie! If you're going to be like this, then we might as well bring you to our Superior," said Xigbar. "We could use someone with spunk like this."

"Xigbar…"

"She would make a nice Nobody, wouldn't you think?"

"Leave her alone," said Demyx with a stern voice.

"Why should I? Like I said, she's just another kid."

"She's not just another kid. Let her go."

"Why do you care what I do to her?"

"Because…because…"

He looked down at Kirin, who looked at him with tearstained eyes.

"…because she's suffering. Just look at her. Can't you see she's in a lot of pain right now?"

"Pfft. Like you care. You don't know how it is to lose someone close to you."

Demyx only shook his head and said, "Let her go. Please."

Xigbar sighed and took his foot off the girl. She tried to snatch the tape from his hand, but he kept it out of reach again.

"Get out of here before I put a bullet in your head."

She kicked him hard in the shin and bolted out of the station. Xigbar started to curse.

"Stupid kid. Here, hold this. I'm going after her."

Demyx took the tape without a second thought. He looked at it and thought _I have a feeling…it's for me._

(Xigbar can be so cold sometimes. And scary. I nearly got shivers writing this. Why do you think he acted like this? What do you believe is recorded on the tape?

Questions? Comments? Feel free to type them via the review box. Thank you.)


	4. The ties we have

Hiapplz! It's Pitafish. This story has some funny origins. The idea was sparked after watching a YouTube video by HotPinkMidNite (I'm not saying which one), and I thought that concept was interesting. It also explains the Xigbar/ Demyx pairing perfectly. At least, what I think it is. I posted this up in eight entries in my journal on Gaia, and it was an accidental success compared to my other stories. One person told me it was "heart warming, funny, tragic, and other stuff". Yes, she said "other stuff."

And so, I'm submitting this story in eight chapters, just like it was in my journal. I hope you enjoy this story fully. If you have questions or comments, I would like to hear them. I love to get questions about my stories.

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own the concept of _Kingdom Hearts II_ or any of its original characters. These are the characters I own: Lillian, Kirin, and Kari. I kind-of-sort-of-not-really own Myde and Rudol. You'll understand why later on in the story

Demyx sat on the floor of his new room. It seemed a little empty, and the walls were brilliantly white, but there was nothing a little decorating couldn't fix. Xigbar was sitting on the bed trying to catch his breath.

"You never caught up with her, did you?" asked Demyx.

"St…Stupid kid," said Xigbar between breaths. "She was too fast for me to…to chase. You know what I'm saying?"

"Well, I'm still a kid…"

After some rest, Xigbar said, "No, you're not a kid; you're becoming a man. And what a man needs to do is take full responsibility for his actions. You still have that tape?"

Demyx held the videotape in his hand.

"Yeah. Why?"

"We're gonna watch it."  
He took the tape from Demyx's hands and placed it in the VCR. There was some static before an image of the girl could be seen. She was wearing pajamas and hugging a toy turtle.

"What's with the turtle?" asked Xigbar.

"I don't know, but it could be important."

The girl began to sing, "Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong, under the shade of a coolibah tree, and he sang as he watched and waited 'til his billy boiled, 'Who'll come a-Waltzing Matilda, with me?'"  
Xigbar turned to face Demyx and said, "Is this a joke? I thought you said this was important."

"Well, it was done by a little girl, you wouldn't think this was serious film, right?"

She finished singing and said, "I miss you, Myde. They said there was an accident on the way to the station, but I don't think so. I think I'll get to see you again sometime." She held up the turtle. "I'm still taking good care of Tuttles for you. It's still hard for me to sleep by myself, but it's not so hard anymore."

"She sleeps with a turtle names Tuttles?" questioned Xigbar with a raised eyebrow.

The girl on the tape started to sniffle a bit as she said, "I see you everywhere I look. The girls at school, they want to know what happened, but I can't tell them. I don't know what happened because Mum won't tell me. I miss you, and I miss Dad. You…you said you'd tell me more about your dad. Mum won't tell, so why can't you?" She wiped her eyes and smiled, "Anyway, Happy Birthday. I hope this tape gets to you soon. I love you." The tape was cut short with more static before it stopped. Xigbar looked at Demyx, who was looking down at the floor.

"Hey. You okay, kid?"

Demyx shook his head. All he said was, "I never did say much about him. I'm sorry." He turned to Xigbar and said, "I need some time alone, please. I got a lot on my mind."

Xigbar left the room. Another person in black was waiting for him.

"…Who are you?" asked Xigbar.

"I'm Luxord," replied the blonde man. "I am to assume you're Number Two? Saïx has told me much about you." He then glanced at the door to Demyx's room. "May I ask what happened in there?"

"Why? You're not the kid's father, so why does it matter to you?"

"You don't know the ties we have, comrade."

Xigbar shrugged and said, "You're right. I don't. That's for you two to talk about, but listen here."

His glare became more serious as he continued.

"I've got ties to him, too. Don't count me out just because you're now married to Lillian."

Luxord looked at him with confusion.

"How do you know about Lillian?"

Xigbar then realized what he said. His face blushed with embarrassment as he said, "Th-the kid told me about her. Is there a rule saying he can't talk about her? Forget this, I'm going to my room."

When he closed the door, Xigbar sat on his bed and put his head in his hands.

_I can't believe this. Why did I bring up that Lillian re-married? She thinks I'm dead, so the kid thinks that, too. So, why do I feel so betrayed? Why am I even feeling now? Is it because of Demyx? Heh. I gotta hand it to her—she raised him pretty well. I'm just sad I wasn't there._

He stood up and brushed the dust from his shoulder.

"I gotta talk to Demyx again."

(It seems as if I said too much those last few sentences. My apologies. I guess it couldn't be prolonged any longer…

What do you think Xigbar is going to tell Demyx? How do you feel about their relationship?

Think about the relationship between Luxord and Demyx/ Rudol and Myde. How would you describe it?

Questions? Comments? Feel free to type them via the review box. Thank you.)


	5. Truth be told

Hiapplz! It's Pitafish. This story has some funny origins. The idea was sparked after watching a YouTube video by HotPinkMidNite (I'm not saying which one), and I thought that concept was interesting. It also explains the Xigbar/ Demyx pairing perfectly. At least, what I think it is. I posted this up in eight entries in my journal on Gaia, and it was an accidental success compared to my other stories. One person told me it was "heart warming, funny, tragic, and other stuff". Yes, she said "other stuff."

And so, I'm submitting this story in eight chapters, just like it was in my journal. I hope you enjoy this story fully. If you have questions or comments, I would like to hear them. I love to get questions about my stories.

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own the concept of _Kingdom Hearts II_ or any of its original characters. These are the characters I own: Lillian, Kirin, and Kari. I kind-of-sort-of-not-really own Myde and Rudol.

"So, you went to the station by yourself while walking home and two guys in black mugged you?"

"Yeah. I didn't tell my mom because, well, it's been almost two months since the accident. She wouldn't like hearing things like that."

"What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know, Kari. What do you think I should do?"

Her friend shrugged her shoulders. "I guess all there's left to do is move on."

"Excuse me?" said Kirin with a confused look.

"Well, what if your mom's right and they're not coming back?"

"What if I'm right and they're still out there somewhere? I'm not gonna give up that easily, Kari. When I saw those men, one of them actually tried to protect me. Do things like that happen a lot?"

"Well, there is such thing as a silent hero. Maybe he took pity on you because he liked you?" Her eyes then shone. She got like that when she came up with an idea.

"You've got a boyfriend, you've got a boyfriend," Kari sang tauntingly.

"You're loony, Kari." The bell rang for classes to end, and they parted ways for the day.

Kirin decided to pass by the station again just in case they were there again. Unfortunately, they weren't. She groaned in frustration and went home.

- - -

It's not that hard, man. Just knock on the door, and tell him the truth. Sure, he won't believe you, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

Xigbar knocked on the door after a moment of hesitation and said, "Hey kid. Are you in there?"

The door was opened a crack. A blue-green eye peeked out to see who was there. Demyx said, "Yeah, I'm still here."

Xigbar scratched the back of his head as he said, "Look. There's something that I want—that I need—to tell you. Can I come in?"

Demyx nodded.

"Thanks, kid."

Xigbar propped the chair so it was across from Demyx's bed. He sat on the chair and looked at Demyx seriously.

"You may want to sit down," he suggested. Demyx sat on his bed.

"So, what did you need to tell me?"

"It's harder on me to tell you than for you to believe me. First, I want you to tell me about Lillian."

"My mom? Why would you want me to talk about her?"

"Please," Xigbar said, his voice hinting a longing. "Just…just tell me how she is. Was. How long did she wait till she married again?"

"Um, okay. Rudol didn't fall into the picture until about a few months later. He was the son of my father's employer. They married soon after that, and Kirin was born about a year later." Demyx then turned to face Xigbar and asked, "Why did you want to know that? Did you know my dad?"

Xigbar looked down and was silent. He then said, "If I were to say…that he's still alive…"

"No. He couldn't be. It's been eleven years; how could someone just disappear like that?"

"Well, it's not like I had a choice, Demyx!" retorted Xigbar. "No one could predict something like that happening to us!" He noticed that Demyx had his back turned. He grabbed the young man's shoulder and said, "Look at me."

Demyx shook his head and said, "I don't even remember his face."

"I said look at me, Myde."

The young man who was once called Myde instantly turned his head to face Xigbar. He then realized who this person was. If he didn't have the scars or the eye-patch, and if his hair was shorter and grey-less, he looked just like _him_. His eyes filled with tears as he hugged Xigbar tightly.

"It's you," he murmured. "It's really you, isn't it?"

Xigbar nodded his head as he patted Demyx's back.

"It's good to see you again, kid."

- - -

Lillian was washing dishes when her daughter entered the house. She placed her bag next to the door and was about to go upstairs when her mother called her.

"Kirin, could you stay downstairs for a little? I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Sure, Mum. What is it?"

They both sat down at the table, Lillian wiping her hands with a dry dish rag.

"I've been thinking about what you said a few days ago, and I think you're right. I ought to tell you about my first husband."

"No, Mum, you don't have to."

"But I want to," continued Lillian.

Kirin decided to get comfortable. Once her mom made up her mind, it was difficult to make her change it.

"His name was Braig, and he was wonderful. He was a responsible man who had a good sense of humor. I really did love him."

"Then why did he leave?"

Lillian sighed and said, "He went to go work one day and didn't come back. They said there was an accident in the labs, and no one came out. Myde didn't take it very well; he really loved that man. When he found out he was gone, his heart broke. He wouldn't talk to anyone and just sat in a corner. I gave him that turtle so he would have something to hug when he was sad, and it seems as if he's given it to you. That boy reminded me of Braig so much I couldn't help but miss him even more. Now there's no one here except us."

She stood up and hugged her daughter tightly.

"I just hope you don't disappear, too."

(Are you feeling warm and fuzzy yet? So am I.

What do you suppose would happen if the other Nobodies found out about Xigbar and Demyx's ties? How would the Superior handle it?

What do you suppose the relationship between Braig and Lillian was like according to Lillian?

Questions? Comments? Feel free to type them via the review box. Thank you.)


	6. Mission accepted

Hiapplz! It's Pitafish. This story has some funny origins. The idea was sparked after watching a YouTube video by HotPinkMidNite (I'm not saying which one), and I thought that concept was interesting. It also explains the Xigbar/ Demyx pairing perfectly. At least, what I think it is. I posted this up in eight entries in my journal on Gaia, and it was an accidental success compared to my other stories. One person told me it was "heart warming, funny, tragic, and other stuff". Yes, she said "other stuff."

And so, I'm submitting this story in eight chapters, just like it was in my journal. I hope you enjoy this story fully. If you have questions or comments, I would like to hear them. I love to get questions about my stories.

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own the concept of _Kingdom Hearts II_ or any of its original characters. These are the characters I own: Lillian, Kirin, and Kari. I kind-of-sort-of-not-really own Myde and Rudol. You'll understand why later on in the story.

There was a knock at Xigbar's door. He opened it to see Saïx, who was still the Superior's favorite after all this time. He cleared his throat before saying, "Xemnas wants to talk to you."

Xigbar scoffed and said, "As if. Why would he want to talk to me now?"

"It's about Number Nine. He-"

"Can't you just call him Demyx?"

"Well, _you_ can. That aside, Xemnas wishes to speak with you about him. I advise you go this instant before I find another way to persuade you," Saïx said, his eyes hinting a trail of blood lust.

Xigbar sighed and said, "Fine. Lead the way."

When he entered the large room, the Superior was waiting for him. This man had a very professional aura about him, his eyes a strange shade of brown, almost an orange color. He had copper skin, but his hair was silver. The look on his face showed that he wasn't too happy.

"Sit down, Xigbar," he said, offering a seat to his fellow comrade.

"What's this about Demyx?" asked Xigbar as soon as he sat down.

"It's come to my attention that the two of you have been spending an awful lot of time together. May I ask why?"

Xigbar rolled his eyes and said, "Why would it interest you? We're just friends, and the reason we spend time together is-"

"Because you two have a connection? Don't treat me like I'm blind, Braig. I know there's more between you two than 'just friends'."

It had been a while since he was called that. That could only mean Xemnas was losing patience with him. Xigbar sighed. He figured it was time he knew the truth.

"The truth is…he's my son."

Xemnas leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Your son? You never mentioned him when we were whole."

"You never asked," replied Xigbar. "He really is a good kid, and I'm proud of him," he added with a warm smile.

"That issue aside, I think it's time that Demyx did a mission alone. Seeing that you two have this sort of bond, I'm asking you as well."

"What does Demyx think?"

"He feels he's up for the task. Besides, he could use some more…practice with his tactics." He paused before saying, "You may go now."

Later that day, Xigbar went into Demyx's room to check up on him.

"Are you gonna be alright?" asked Xigbar. He sat on Demyx's bed as he zipped up his black coat.

"Don't worry. He only told me to go get the Olympus Stone. It can't be all that bad, right? It's just a rock."

"He also told you to find Roxas while you were there. He's been gone for a while, right? I haven't found him yet, and neither has anyone else."

He then looked down and chuckled, "Y'know, you may cross paths with that boy we talked about. Be careful, okay? We lost almost half the Organization because we messed with that kid."

- - -

When Demyx came back, he had a look of shock on his face. He was clearly damp with water. It seemed as if his tactics backfired on him again.

"What happened?" asked Xigbar.

"H-h-he was there," stammered Demyx. "That boy was there. He looked like Roxas."

"So what did you do?"

"I tried to fight him, I really did, but I just couldn't. He took the stone from me when I lost…"

Demyx buried his head in Xigbar's chest and kept muffling about other things. Xigbar patted Demyx's head and said, "I know you wouldn't want to hurt anyone; you got that from your mother."

That's when the idea came.

"Demyx, wait right here. I'm going to get Luxord."

Demyx looked at him curiously.

"Why?"

"You'll see."

- - -

There was a table with three chairs set up in one of the spare rooms. Xigbar and Luxord sat across from each other while Demyx sat in the middle, all three in casual clothing. A stack of cards was set in the middle of the table, and each chair was occupied. Next to the cards was a photo of a young woman with russet-colored wavy hair. The photo was a little crinkled, but was still in good condition.

"Why did you insist upon me coming here?" questioned Luxord.

"Well, honest to God, I still love Lillian no matter what. I assume you still love her, too. Luckily, I have a solution for all of this," explained Xigbar. "I know how much you like playing card games, and I'm pretty good, too. Whoever wins this game of B.S. gets Lillian."

"That sounds like a brilliant idea, but what of the boy? He doesn't intend on committing incest, now does he?"

"If Demyx wins, he chooses the winner," said Xigbar.

"That seems a bit unfair, wouldn't you think? You're the boy's father, so we know he's going to pick you."

"Maybe, but you're his stepfather. You've been with him longer, so he knows you better. Either way, one of us is going to win."

Luxord began to shuffle the deck and divided the cards amongst the three of them.

"I pray that Lady Luck has mercy on you. This will end in tears for one of us," said Luxord with a devilish grin.

(Huh. This seems to be where the story takes a turn towards something not to progressive. Who do you suppose will win the game? Luxord's very well known to have cards. Heck, it's his weapon, if you will. Demyx mentioned that Xigbar was pretty good with cards himself, but we've only seen the 52 Card Pick Up, which isn't really a trick.

The final chapter is coming soon. How do you suppose this all ends?)


	7. Heaven can wait

Goodness, I forgot to upload this. I guess it just slipped my mind…

Hiapplz! It's Pitafish. This story has some funny origins. The idea was sparked after watching a YouTube video by HotPinkMidNite (I'm not saying which one), and I thought that concept was interesting. It also explains the Xigbar/ Demyx pairing perfectly. At least, what I think it is. I posted this up in eight entries in my journal on Gaia, and it was an accidental success compared to my other stories. One person told me it was "heart warming, funny, tragic, and other stuff". Yes, she said "other stuff."

And so, I'm submitting this story in eight chapters, just like it was in my journal. I hope you enjoy this story fully. If you have questions or comments, I would like to hear them. I love to get questions about my stories.

**DISCLAIMER**: I don't own the concept of _Kingdom Hearts II_ or any of its original characters. These are the characters I own: Lillian, Kirin, and Kari. I kind-of-sort-of-not-really own Myde and Rudol. You'll understand why later on in the story

Kirin blew out the candles on the cake. It felt strange turning thirteen. Deep down inside, she still felt like that ten year old who kept waiting every night for her brother and father to come home. She stopped thinking that once she was twelve.

"What did you wish for?" asked Kari in anticipation, her eyes shining.

Kirin shook her head and put her finger to her lips.

"Can't tell, remember? 'Tis bad luck."

"Well, why don't we start with cake and then you can open your gifts?" suggested Lillian. "I'll get some plates."

Once Lillian went into the kitchen, Kari said, "What are you thinking about? You've been a little spacey all day."

"Kari, I can't stop but think about Myde. He'd be in his twenties now if he were still here. He could've been a musician. Dad would have told me so many things about growing up that Mum couldn't. Sometimes I wish I could talk to them."

"You're lying, Kirin. They'll never go because they're in there," she said, pointing to Kirin's heart. "And they'll always be there even after you're sleeping in your grave."

Kirin smiled and said, "Thanks, Kari."

- - -

Later that night when Kari went home, Lillian entered her daughter's room with a small package in her arms.

"This is for you. Do you have any idea who it's from?"

Kirin took the package and read the address. Where a name should have been, there was "The Melodious Nocturne" and some musical notes decorating the label.

"…Yes. I do. Good night, Mum."

"Night, love."

When her mother left the room, Kirin took Tuttles off her shelf and placed him in her lap; she didn't seem to need him as much anymore. She opened the package to find a tape labeled "Room of Angel". She placed it into the VCR and watched the screen fizz and pop with static before an image appeared.

The film began with a sign that said "For Kirin on her special day." A strange young man appeared. His blonde hair was spiked in an unusual way and his eyes were a brilliant shade of greenish-blue. He waved to the camera and said, "Hey there, Kirin. I know that Rudol was supposed to give you this speech, but I thought that since we're closer, I should tell you."

Then, a hand appeared and tried to push this boy out of the way. The owner of this hand said, "I think she'd prefer it if I spoke to her about that."

Another hand appeared and pulled the first hand away. The owner of the second hand said, "Shush! You're ruining the moment!"

While all of this was happening, Kirin stared at the screen with wide eyes. She remembered the first two voices from so long ago. The third, however, remained foreign to her ears.

The boy appeared on the screen again with his hair a little ruffled, but still smiling. "Once again, we can't tell you where we are, but I'm here, your dad's here, and so is my dad. I'm guessing this is Heaven…I think. Anyway, about that speech, I think it would be better if Rudol told you after all."

The second voice said, "Capital idea! I knew he'd pick me to do it!" This person appeared on the screen now. He had short, light blonde hair and blue eyes. He had some facial hair, and piercing in his ears. He cleared his throat and said, "Hello, love. It's been a while since I've spoken to you. I only wish I could see you now. You're blossoming into a young woman, and girls your age are facing many obstacles such as your ever-changing body and how you identify yourself as a person. There will be times when you think you can't handle these things, but take it from a man who's had experience—you'll do just fine. Your mother's there to help you whenever you have a problem, and believe me when I say she's had more experience than I when it comes to being a woman."

Kirin laughed at this. Of course her mother did.

"Well, my last words to you are short, but everlasting: I love you, and I'm proud of you. Don't ever forget that, love. If you ever feel lonely, we're up here watching over you with smiles on our faces."

He then ducked away and a third face appeared. This man had a scar on one of his cheeks and an eye-patch on his right eye. His hair was black with grey streaks and was pulled back into a ponytail.

"Hey there. You're probably wondering who in the heck I am. I'm Myde's father, Braig. I gotta tell you, I was pretty lonely up here until these two showed up. Now I can hang out with my boy and your old man, too. Give our love to Lillian, and we're waiting for both of you to come up here, too."

Myde appeared on the screen again, "Well, I can't think of much more to say…"

"Please," begged Kirin to the screen. "Don't go yet."

"…so I think there's only one more thing to do."

The tape then stopped abruptly and ejected from the VCR. Kirin tried to push it back in, but the tape was only spat out again. After giving up, a thought suddenly appeared in her mind:

_Look out the window_.

With Tuttles in her arms, she went to her window and opened it. The wind was rustling through the trees, and a soft melody could be heard. It was the same tune she heard on the tape she watched over and over again; the one Myde made for her before they got on the train.

She laughed out loud, and this made Demyx smile. He continued to play on the large, strange blue instrument as he sat silently in the tree. Xigbar was sitting beside him looking at the instrument curiously.

"What is that thing anyway?" he questioned in a hushed tone.

"It's a sitar. I've been practicing since I became a Nobody. I used to play guitar, but I think this is more fun. After all, it makes this song sound better."

"And just what song is this?"

"'Jessica', and this is coming from the heart." Once he finished, he turned to Xigbar and said, "Aren't you gonna say something to Mom? You did win the card game."

"Luxord said he let me win. Besides, what do you think would happen if Lillian found out I was still alive when she married your stepfather?"

Demyx nodded his head and said, "You make a good point. The tape was a nice touch, though. It gives Kirin something to believe in, right? After all, we're gonna see each other eventually."

"Depends. Does heaven let in people like us?"

Demyx looked up at the night sky and said, "I'd like to think that."

(MuSiC iN tHe HeArT- tHe EnD)

_A special epilogue for those who care…_

Xigbar sat on the shores, looking down at his hands. His gloves were off, and a ring was on his finger. He kept turning it, examining its simplicity. Demyx was next to him admiring the night sky.

"So why did you bring me here?" asked Demyx.

Xigbar replied, gazing at the shore, "Lillian and I made a lot of memories on these sands. Most were just us, but I'll never forget the ones that had you."

Demyx seemed to be more alert now. "What do you mean?"

"Lillie and I would go here all the time just to escape our lives. Even if it was for a minute."

"'Cos Granddad was always so strict with you?"

Xigbar nodded. "He didn't think Lillie was the right one for me, but I married her anyway. That was the only time I ever defiled him."

Xigbar looked at his hands again.

"These hands have done many things, both bad and good. I've taken many lives, but I've made only one. None of the other apprentices were married, so it felt somewhat awkward, and I kept my marriage with Lillian a secret. Vexen was the only one who knew about you when we were whole. He was the only one who would help us when you were born. I told him to keep quiet about my family because he knew what I was capable of doing. We were experimenting on volunteers and I had a feeling he would want to test you and Lillie."

"What are you getting at?" asked Demyx curiously.

"I guess what I'm saying is that I owe Vexen a lot. If he were still here, I'd say thanks."

Demyx was silent.

"About Mom…If you could, would you want to see her again? Hold her?"

Xigbar looked at Demyx with eyes of content.

"More than anything. She's the only woman I ever trusted."

"Well then, let's go see her," said Demyx happily.

"Right now?"

"Why not? Rudol didn't want to come because, well…he said he didn't want to see Kirin. It would be too sad for him. Besides, you said Mom was the only one for you."

Demyx grabbed his father's sleeve and started tugging, saying, "So let's go already!"

Xigbar chuckled, but withdrew his arm.

"As much as I want to, I can't. She thinks I'm dead, remember? Suppose I did go and visit her. How do you think she would react? I already told you this before. I know you want to see Kirin, but you can't for the same reason."

He sighed and looked at the night sky.

"You and Kirin…you both remind me of your mom so much."

"That's strange, because Mom always said I reminded her of you. I guess I _am_ like you after all."

Xigbar shook his head and said, "You're not like me. At least, not your personality. I guess it's more of your spirit. When I was your age, I just wanted to be free. I guess you could say Lillian freed me. You're just the same, right? Always doing what you pleased, not having limits like what your grandfather set with me."

He stood up and patted Demyx's shoulder.

"I gotta say, you really are something else."


End file.
